


Ghosts aren’t always spirits

by Pups_Side_Box (Puppyinabox)



Category: OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
Genre: ACAB, Bad Flirting, Child Neglect, First Kiss, Flirting, Implied Sexual Content, Love Confessions, M/M, Mentions of Starvation, Past Child Abuse, Villain origin stories, mentions of catatonic states, talking about your shitty dads while you drink coffee at three am
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:41:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29097453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Puppyinabox/pseuds/Pups_Side_Box
Summary: After a long and relatively unproductive night of work for the both of them, Boxman and professor venomous drink coffee in one of boxmore’s kitchens and talk about their shitty dads.
Relationships: Lord Boxman/Professor Venomous (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	Ghosts aren’t always spirits

Boxman dug a tooth into the soft wood of his pencil in frustration, not a single viable design had come from that night’s brainstorm and the hours were weighing on him. 

“Ok! Fuck this.” He pushed himself away from his desk and stood. Maybe coffee would help. The halls of Boxmore at night hummed softly all around him, often he’d fall asleep with ease with the factory as white-noise.  
The light in the kitchen was already on, for a moment boxman wondered if a mikayla unit had tripped the motion detectors that turned the lights on but when he entered the room he saw venomous leaning against the counter, sipping from one of the mugs in the cabinet,

“Long night?” He asked, seeming to have heard boxman come in as his eyes were shut, or maybe he smelled him. He did seem to be sensitive to that, all his detergents were fragrance free.

“Yeah. Not unusually but- I’m uh.. stuck.” Boxman reached in the cupboard for a mug of his own and got to making his coffee, an inordinate amount of sugar then pouring the coffee and adding the synthetically flavored creamer. 

“Well thats more sugar than coffee,” venomous said playfully, he was very close, but didn’t feel like he was looming, or if he was he was at least looming in a nice way.

“Yeah yeah- if I wanted a lecture I’d re-enroll at evil U.” Boxman said, light heartedly, as he sat at the small kitchen table, facing venomous. Venomous poured himself another mug of black coffee,

“You could teach there you know, theres growing interest for an engineering course, or at least I’ve heard.”

Boxman frowned, “maybe if I retire… I prefer actual action.”

Venomous hummed, “can’t argue with that…”

“Besides… seems-“ he sighed, “my father, he was a physics professor, not for Evil University, just- some civilian school.”

“I see… trying to keep the apple away from the tree?”

“Trying to keep it in fucking orbit” boxman laughed, “yeah um… teaching serms… I mean I don’t wanna insult you-”

“No- no by all means, I gave up teaching for a reason, it was stuffy, but the name ‘professor venomous’ does have a ring to it. And besides sometimes I give guest lectures over there, Evil U.”

“Ok. It’s just that teaching seems like- like those who can’t do, they teach.”

Venomous made a face and sat at the table with boxman, “I think it matters what subject.”

“Yeah, probably…”

“Did your- was your dad unable to… do…?” They looked at each other for a moment before breaking into laughter,

“Ah jeez, yeah he uh… he wanted to work with space agencies… had this big theory on how everything works… he was um- well he was wrong so…”

“Oh…” venomous gave a sympathetic look as Boxman trailed off, “that can certainly… do a number.”

“Got defensive about all his work after that.” Boxman laughed wryly, “I remember once I was uhh… heh- about… Maybe 11-15, one of his equations was up on some chalk board in his office, I asked about it and he went on this hour long rant about other academics…. got really pissed when I fell asleep halfway through.” Boxman laughed, “didn’t let me sleep for the next-“ he counted on his fingers- “thirty two hours!”

Venomous looked horrified, “Boxman that’s-...”

“Yeah well he’s dead and I’m actually right about my work so…”

Venomous looked at boxman’s hand, then gestured with his own, “m-may I?”

“Uh- sure?”

Venomous took Boxman’s hand in his, his fingers were cold but the weight was comforting,

“My father…” venomous’s voice shook, he cleared his throat, “my father was never… an academic, lets leave it at that. But he had a very-“ he laughed and shook his head, “very strong sense of morality, if it could be called that…”

“Yeah, my dad was a perfectionist. Always wanted me to do things neatly… my mom would be that way in her own way I think, she’d just- she’d do this thing where she’d just go silent.”

Venomous nodded, “my mother did the same though I- I suspect it was more to cope with my father… shutting down, drawing inward.” Venomous laughed, “honestly nothing could break her out of it! Once I had started a fire in the kitchen, not so accidentally… she didn’t even notice. Certainly didn’t notice when bottles would fly past her- I’m sorry I’ve… over shared.”

“When we met I over shared to you so much, I’m certainly not one to object, or judge.”

Venomous smiled, then it fell, “my dad would um… he was really eye for an eye about justice and stuff.”

“A hero?”

“Ugh no worse, a cop. Back when they still had those.”

“Oh you’re Old old!”

“Oh please! We’re the same age.” Venomous still grinned, Boxman felt himself smile back. It felt nice. Venomous’s hand had warmed from his.

“Yeah I know… cob look at the pair of us.”

Venomous hummed with a wide grin, “my dad would be so pissed.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t” Boxman winked,

“Pinky promise?”

“Of course, this is a serious business arrangement!”

They burst out laughing again. Venomous sighed after catching his breath,

“My dad used to say no one likes a mess and would keep me in my room for days, wouldn’t feed me, fucked up my metabolism, my body’s scared of starving so I retain weight.” Boxman said softly into the pensive silence. He gripped venomous’s hand.

Venomous sipped his coffee, “my dad used to put cigarettes out on me, said that’s what heck felt like. When I was little I thought he meant the emotional hurt, not the burn.”

“Shit, PV…”

“Boxy.” 

They were close, Boxman could smell the expensive cologne venomous wore. It didn’t smell like him a dad’s. His father’s cologne smelled like it was trying to be expensive, trying to lie and say “I’m well to do, I’m perfect and normal and fine.” It smelled like chalk in his mouth. Professor venomous wore an honest man’s cologne, it smelled faintly sweet. PV’s cologne wasn’t the pungent stench of failure and failed expectations, of projected self loathing and manic shouting. It was lovely and lavender and xylitol sweetener. Synthetic but honest and poised but fun.

Boxman’s hand in Venomous’s was rough and hewn. Workman’s hands. But they were soft, his knuckles dimpled, unlike venomous’s father’s. His father’s hands were thin and sinewy, they were rough but they were made for hurt, they weren’t made to create beautiful things. Venomous’s fathers hands had felt like the hateful cob he spoke of, Boxman’s felt like the loving creator he chose to sometimes believe in, as if made by that cob themself. The selfish part of his brain thought of those hands as a gift for him alone, him to hold.

“I know what would really piss off their ghosts…”

“Ghosts aren’t real”

“Says who?”

“I Killed a guy, he’d be haunting me if ghosts were real” 

“You murdered someone? Who?” Professor venomous raised his eyebrows,

“That’s my sexy secret” Boxman winked and laughed.

Professor venomous smiled, “it’s getting late…”

“Suppose there isn’t really time for work anymore…”

“Suppose we should go to bed.”

“W-we?”

“I-“ venomous let go of Boxman’s hand, “I over stepped, I apologize-“

“No- I mean- ye- don’t apologize… just-“. Boxman cleared his throat, “sorry I must have misinterpreted-“

“I’m in love with you.” Venomous blurted out, interrupting Boxman, “I-“

“You-... I see- uh- well-“

“I apologize I should have found a better time-“

“I love you too… I-“. Boxman looked more vulnerable than he ever had before. It was momentary though, “if this is some kind of joke I’ll have you know-“

“Boxman when have I ever been intentionally funny?”

“That’s true you are rather serious at times and make corny jokes-“

“Now hold on-“

“Still just-... you mean it?”

Venomous held his face, his nails clinking on contact with his metal faceplate, “with every ounce of evil inside of me.”

Boxman leaned into the touch, the light behind his cyborg eye seeming to dim as his organic eye slipped closed,  
“I still can’t sleep PV…” he said softly,

“There’s other things to do in the night…” venomous grinned. He flicked his tongue out, scenting the air. He didn’t smell fear from Boxman but truth be told he’d never been completely able to figure him out.

Boxman laughed, “well now,” he said, “how scandalous, professor…”

“Only if you think it is, my lord.”

They laughed and got up, hand in talon. 

“Ok but- you’re sure?”

“Boxman to be completely candid with you I’ve nursed erections through numerous of our long distance tele-conferences.”

“Oh- cause of me?”

“Yes because of you” venomous said patientlybegore leaning to whisper into Boxman’s prosthetic ear, “you and often your thighs…”

“Ohokrightsoum-“ Boxman stumbled over his words, “y-your room or-“

“Mine yes, I know where everything is…” venomous’s hesitated and Boxman felt like his entire would would shatter, “we don’t- we don’t have to if you aren’t ready.”

“I am-“ Boxman stopped himself, he sounded more eager than he’d like, “I would like to… spend the night with you.”

“Wonderful.” Venomous smirked. He leaned in and kissed Boxman before they walked down the hall, light conversation in their wake.


End file.
